U.S. military opens massive South Korea headquarters

Commander of the United States Forces Korea (USFK) Army Gen. Vincent K. Brooks spoke at the opening ceremony Friday for the new headquarters of U.S. Forces Korea at Camp Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, South Korea. File Photo courtesy of Department of Defense/Army Sg. Amber I. Smith

June 29 (UPI) -- The U.S. military in South Korea has permanently relocated its headquarters to a base south of Seoul, a move the U.S. Forces Korea commander described as an investment for the long term.

The massive base in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, held its opening ceremony on Friday, where Commander Gen. Vincent Brooks called the new base a day that will go down in history.

"This headquarters building within the complex represents a significant investment in the long-term presence of the U.S. forces in Korea. Ladies and gentlemen, this was a project that cost nearly $10.8 billion to build over 10 years," Brooks said before an audience of more than 300 people that included South Korean Defense Minister Song Young-moo.

"[South Korea's] investment was over 90 percent of the cost, and for that 90 percent, the United States remains with you 100 percent."

Construction of the new base, where a total of 43,000 U.S. military personnel and their families are to reside, cost $10.8 billion. At 14.67 million square meters, it is the largest overseas U.S. base.

A South Korean military source told local newspaper Maeil Business the base is in a good place for U.S. deployment, because it is proximal to Osan Air Base and Pyeongtaek Port.

For 73 years, U.S. Forces Korea had used Yongsan, a district in Seoul, as its headquarters.